Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-02-17

"a eHS PAoposso JURY men
whose trousers were held in place b.
an old fish line.
Certainly it's right" replied SUIT.
ton. Why not ?"
"Am it 'cording te de law ?" was
the next question. "Cause 'ceptin' il
amn't 'cordin de law no cullered
genmens done don't hab muffin to do
wild dis yah murder" $50 +
g. 'Why. good Lord. man. exclaimed
ae Justice, who said was a muir
der? Everybody can see that it's
nothing but an scsisaesitif scsiisaaess.i X. 4 a.,-..-
er, "why you done made all dis yah
fussin' for?"
ut isn't me-" the Justice answered.
"It's the law. This body has been
found. The law directs me to im-
pannel jury. That jury must hear
the evidence, retire, find out who the
dead man is, and how he came by his
death, and return a verdict in accord.
ance with the facts. Can't you see ?"
The Justice was warming up. The
negroes looked as though they wanted
to know all about it before they were
sworn in.
How much you gwine to git for
dis yah job, Judge?" asked another
of the incipient .iurymen.
"The law allows me ten dollars"
said Mr.. Sutton, "but that has nothing
to do with your duties in the case.
Your course is explicitly laid down
by the law"
The negroes conferred together for
a few moments. Justice Sutton was
becoming impatient, when one of them
stepped over the corpse and asked
him "whar de cullered man came in"
"What do you mean?" asked the
astonished civil officer.
de law done gwine for to drop ten
dollars for you" said the sapient ne.
gro. What de law gwine for to drop
for me?"
"The law regards your work as a
duty you owe to yourselves and society,
and don't allow you anything" an
swered the Justice. you don't want
pay for working for yourselves, do
you?" .-,---
Den we 'nnds the veraicr and s.as
all the work. an you takes all de
money-am dat de law?'
The law allows me a fee, and
doesn't provide fee for you." indig-
nantly responded Mr.. Sutton. Hold
up your right hands"
"Dis yere's jis' like de old planta-
tion times" grumbled one of the
darkies. "O!e massa be got all de
money, an de culered man he do all
de work"
Hold up your right hands," re-
peated the Justice.
The negroes eyed him as if medi-
tating mutiny.
Hold up your right hands" thun-
dered his honor.
The Co!ored men hesitated. Then
one black hand was slowly raised in
the air The others followed it like
the dumb blackbirds of a shooting
gallery. The Justice repeated the
oath, but his hearers remained dumb !:
Say we DO, he shouted.
I'VE do" echoed the trembling ne
groes.
Lower your hands" commanded
the Justice, and the black birds drop,
ped from their perches.
The jury then squatted upon the
furze about the dead man. The Were
cowed, but not convinced that every
thing was right.
Gentlemen" spoke the Justice after
all hail squatted, 'you are now sworn
to perform the functions of the law
The law is explicit in its definition O
the duties Of coroners jury. The
law prescribes that testimony shall be
taken. In this case that is a mere
matter of form, for You yourselves
were witnesses of the death of this
man. The law, however, requires thai
you shall carefully weigh the evidence
ascertain how the man died, who hi
was. and so on. This you will do BY
virtue Of your oaths as jurors
The witnesses were then examined
Their evidence way very clear. Eph
riam had gone into the water with th,
intention of making an honest dollal
by diving for ParsoE Blacks tool
While his companions watched hin
from the bank of the stream, he sank
and was not seen again until his bod,
was grappled and drawn ashore. Th,
jury eagerly listened to all that wa
said bu. asked no questions. They
were evidently afraid of the Justice
and looked upon the whole thing as
sort OF VOudou ceremony. His homo
summed up by saving. Gentlemen